The only change I suggest is to list the exact date your maternity leave will start. Saying mid-sept still may be vague. I wouldn't want there to be any weekend when you think your done and he thinks your still coming. Good luck!

This, and one other change you may want to consider making is taking out "she's so sweet most of the time" part (the 'most of the time' I mean). I don't know the relationship you have with them but it kinda rubbed me the wrong way. I know I'm being picky, sorry Otherwise I think the letter is absolutely perfect!

I agree with the 2 PP that the only things I would possibly change are put an exact date such as I will be starting my maternity leave May 15th (or whatever date) and will not be returning to work until November 1st.
And depending on your relationship with him the most of the time part because depending on relationship that could go either way. For example if one of my sisters said that about my kids I would not bat an eye because she is with my kids a lot and we are close, with my other sister it would probably make me roll my eyes because of our relationship...although it would mainly be because she doesn't spend much time with them and since you spend lots of time with this lady it may not come across badly at all.
Other than that I think the letter is perfect.

I guess I'm just out in left field here. Maybe I don't fully understand how your job works, but after reading it, I still don't understand why you can't go over 2x's while he works won't work with only 4hrs to work with. Does it make it not worth your time? Is there not actually enough time? I'm not trying to be difficult, I just don't understand. However, I am NOT suggesting that you are being difficult or should be willing to go 2x's, just that I don't understand based on the wording of the letter. Hopefully, that makes sense.

I would also change the wording in the last paragraph which says, "Thank you for the wonderful blessing of allowing me to be part of Betty's life, she is so sweet most of the time and I just love her to pieces." I would take out "most of the time." I'm sure she can be difficult at times, but I think that goes without saying due to her illness. When you said "most of the time," all I read was, "she isn't sweet and is difficult sometimes." I'm sure that is true, but I feel like there is no need to call attention to it and it may strike him the wrong way. No need to point at the negative in this letter.

And one more thing, if you are wanting him to help you find the sub or for him to find it himself, I think you need to spell that out exactly since he is used to you doing it. Say something like, "Please start looking for someone sooner rather than later because I would hate for you to be left scrambling at the last minute." You say that you would hate for you (you, not him) to be scrambling. To me, that implies that you are ultimately responsible for finding someone like you have in the past. If you don't want to be then, you should spell it out in a nice way. "I know I normally find a substitute for you and I will try to help, but ultimately it is your responsibility to make sure she is covered because this leave is not optional." My wording may not be best, but you need to make it clear he needs to step up.

Hopefully none of that came across harshly. It wasn't meant to at all, but I can come across blunt without meaning to. If you don't like my suggestions, please feel free to disregard. These are only my thoughts and ideas.

Good luck! I hope you (and he) have an easier time finding someone than you think you will!!

ETA - I see someone else said the most of the time thing while I was posting.

__________________

Heather SAHM to 6 who are 7 and under, including 2 sets of twins and our last little miracle, a surviving identical twin, born Oct 2012!

Last edited by HeatherlovesCDs; 06-04-2012 at 07:56 AM.
Reason: typos as usual

This I'm sure will come out completely the wrong way I'm sure, but when i read this I kind of thought, "she doesn't really want this job, she's just doing me a favor." If I had a nanny (since the essence of your job wouldn't pertain to my every day life) and I got an email saying she couldn't work the hours I needed or wanted I would probably just find a replacement even if I LOVED her because he wants or thinks he needs someone to come by two times a night, not just once which makes it sound like he might not be receptive of the changes, and i agree with taking the "most the time out".

ETA: I don't think anything is wrong with saying the hours you need/ want. It's a great thing to be upfront about. Just an opinion.

This, and one other change you may want to consider making is taking out "she's so sweet most of the time" part (the 'most of the time' I mean). I don't know the relationship you have with them but it kinda rubbed me the wrong way. I know I'm being picky, sorry Otherwise I think the letter is absolutely perfect!

Thanks.

God bless!

__________________Christian wife to my hubby, mamma to three little men and a little lady! Send a custom greeting card fromJust Because Stationery!Because you don't need a reason to show you care. Caring is reason enough!!!

This I'm sure will come out completely the wrong way I'm sure, but when i read this I kind of thought, "she doesn't really want this job, she's just doing me a favor." If I had a nanny (since the essence of your job wouldn't pertain to my every day life) and I got an email saying she couldn't work the hours I needed or wanted I would probably just find a replacement even if I LOVED her because he wants or thinks he needs someone to come by two times a night, not just once which makes it sound like he might not be receptive of the changes, and i agree with taking the "most the time out".

ETA: I don't think anything is wrong with saying the hours you need/ want. It's a great thing to be upfront about. Just an opinion.

1. The hours might change anyway, because he lost his job and is looking for a new one.

2. When I got pregnant and re-signed for the next term, he knew that I was pregnant. I was very upfront about needing a maternity leave and he was totally fine with that. He just tends to procrastinate things so I need a reminder that we need to work out alternative arrangments.

3. If he chooses to hire somone else because I can't afford the gas to go over there 6x a weekend with the pay cut I'll be taking, I'll understand... I just need to make sure that we have some sort of plan in place by the end of August. And if that new plan is him decided to hire someone else.. I understand and I'm ok with that. I just need the notice, and he'll need time to find a replacement.

4. He says he wants to keep me and we'll "work it out" when my baby is born.. as I said before.. my due date is just over 3 months away.. and I need to have things settled early, or he'll forget and then he either won't have any help for Betty or I'll be having to go over there the weekend after I give birth.

God bless!

__________________Christian wife to my hubby, mamma to three little men and a little lady! Send a custom greeting card fromJust Because Stationery!Because you don't need a reason to show you care. Caring is reason enough!!!

I guess I'm just out in left field here. Maybe I don't fully understand how your job works, but after reading it, I still don't understand why you can't go over 2x's while he works won't work with only 4hrs to work with. Does it make it not worth your time? Is there not actually enough time? I'm not trying to be difficult, I just don't understand. However, I am NOT suggesting that you are being difficult or should be willing to go 2x's, just that I don't understand based on the wording of the letter. Hopefully, that makes sense.

Right now I make $120 per weekend before taxes.
I spend about 40 minutes of driving time for one round trip... IF traffic is perfect, I don't hit all red lights and I don't get stuck waiting on a train at the rail road tracks.

So to spend 2 hours a night over there, split into two shifts, I'm driving 1 hour and 20 minutes to work two- one hour shifts. I do this each Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

With my hours being cut to 4 hours per weekend, that means that I'd be working about 1 hr 20 minutes each night instead of 2 hours. That means 40 minutes of driving time per trip, to work a 40 minute shift, 2x a night.

So I'd be spending the same amount in gas, to work less hours and get paid less.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeatherlovesCDs

I would also change the wording in the last paragraph which says, "Thank you for the wonderful blessing of allowing me to be part of Betty's life, she is so sweet most of the time and I just love her to pieces." I would take out "most of the time." I'm sure she can be difficult at times, but I think that goes without saying due to her illness. When you said "most of the time," all I read was, "she isn't sweet and is difficult sometimes." I'm sure that is true, but I feel like there is no need to call attention to it and it may strike him the wrong way. No need to point at the negative in this letter.

Point taken.. Totally didn't mean it to come off that way, but I see your point (and it's the same point a few others have made) so I'm totally going to change that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeatherlovesCDs

And one more thing, if you are wanting him to help you find the sub or for him to find it himself, I think you need to spell that out exactly since he is used to you doing it. Say something like, "Please start looking for someone sooner rather than later because I would hate for you to be left scrambling at the last minute." You say that you would hate for you (you, not him) to be scrambling. To me, that implies that you are ultimately responsible for finding someone like you have in the past. If you don't want to be then, you should spell it out in a nice way. "I know I normally find a substitute for you and I will try to help, but ultimately it is your responsibility to make sure she is covered because this leave is not optional." My wording may not be best, but you need to make it clear he needs to step up.

That's why I want to sit down and have a face to face with him.. to find out if he intends to find someone, if he's expecting me to find someone, or if he's going to call the agency and see if in this situation they can provide someone.

Thanks so much!

God bless!

Hopefully none of that came across harshly. It wasn't meant to at all, but I can come across blunt without meaning to. If you don't like my suggestions, please feel free to disregard. These are only my thoughts and ideas.

Good luck! I hope you (and he) have an easier time finding someone than you think you will!!

ETA - I see someone else said the most of the time thing while I was posting. [/QUOTE]

__________________Christian wife to my hubby, mamma to three little men and a little lady! Send a custom greeting card fromJust Because Stationery!Because you don't need a reason to show you care. Caring is reason enough!!!

I edited the letter in the OP as per your wonderful suggestions. Thanks so much!

God bless!

__________________Christian wife to my hubby, mamma to three little men and a little lady! Send a custom greeting card fromJust Because Stationery!Because you don't need a reason to show you care. Caring is reason enough!!!